


Find Your Way Back.

by Lian_Yu



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Fix-It of Sorts, M/M, Moira still died in a car crash, No Olicity, Shado and Oliver never happened, Slade never came back in season 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-07 22:04:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13444341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lian_Yu/pseuds/Lian_Yu
Summary: After Slade died to save Oliver, Oliver came back to Starling but never really moved on. When Adrian Chase kidnaps Team Arrow, an unexpected ally that Oliver thought dead comes to the rescue.





	Find Your Way Back.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this at 4am last night so it's probably shit, sorry for the faults.

 

When Oliver finally came home after five years, he pretended to be the same billionaire playboy who slept with every girl he crossed path with. But that wasn't him anymore. He was never supposed to come back from this hell alone, if only Kovar and his men hadn't showed up on Lian Yu and ruined everything, he would be with Slade right now, taking down someone on the list or training together... maybe cuddling on the bed and - as far fetched as it sounded - even going on dates.

 

“What about Hillary?” asked Tommy, snapping him out of his daydream.

 

“Doesn't she have a girlfriend now?” answered Oliver not really caring about what Tommy was saying. It wasn't anything against his bestfriend, but the black haired man was trying to find a girl for Oliver to have sex with. Because he thought Oliver really was on an island for five years and that he really never got laid in those five years. Granted, Oliver wasn't denying it either but he couldn't talk about Slade. Just thinking about him was too painful. And he certainly couldn't sleep with someone else this soon.

 

“You slept with a girl the night before her wedding!”

 

“Actually that was the night of her wedding and I'm not.. like that anymore Tommy. Look I really have to go to the bathroom, see you in ten okay?”

 

He didn't go to the bathroom. He had to go get Adam Hunt who didn't took his warning seriously.

 

 

The third year since he got back from the island he took Diggle's advice and invited Felicity on a date. That was the first date he went on since Laurel years ago, ignoring the one with Helena since it was just a play to learn more about the Bertinelli family. Felicity was convinced that he and Helena had something, she had dubbed her “Oliver's crazy ex-girlfriend." But Oliver hadn't touched anyone since Slade.

He had tried one night with Sara but he just ended up pushing her away excusing himself. Sara guessed that Oliver still had feelings for Slade, but she didn't understand. How could she? He never told her how after everything, he came back to the island only to find out Slade was alive and had his anger under control, he never told her how they joined the Bratva together and fought side by side, he never told her how they were supposed to come back to Starling City together, he never told anyone.

The date with Felicity went badly, an explosion hit the restaurant, targeting the arrow. When Felicity woke up he told her he couldn't be with her or anyone, using the explosion as an excuse. Diggle was trying to talk some sense into Oliver.

 

“Look man I know this life is dangerous but when you have feelings for someone you just can't-”

 

“That's the problem Dig!” explosed Oliver, causing Felicity to turn around. “I have feelings for someone, and I hoped these feelings would go away with time but they didn't! And this person is dead so don't ask me to take a shot with Felicity because I did and it all just feel so wrong!”

 

He could see the hurt in Felicity's eyes but he left the lair in a rush, not wanting anyone seeing him cry as memories of him and Slade came back hitting him like bullets. He would say sorry to Felicity later, now he wanted to say sorry to Slade, for not being able to save him.

 

 

Diggle wasn't the only one who thought he and Felicity should be a thing, during the fifth year since he came back Curtis brought some take out and a bottle of champagne, he found Oliver softly rubbing his thumb against the fabric of a grey keffieh.

 

“One day you'll have to tell me what is so special about this scarf.”

 

“It's a keffieh.” snapped Oliver. “Sorry hum.. what is that?” he asked, seeing the big belly burger's bag.

 

“Well I thought me, you and Felicity could have something to celebrate tonight's success but Paul called me and really want me home so I guess you guys can have the champagne and the food and enjoy it.” he cleared his throat and put the bags on the desk next to Oliver.

 

“That's nice Curtis” said Felicity from her chair.

 

The young man just smiled and turned around to leave. Oliver sighed and grabbed Curtis' arm.

 

“Look I appreciate what you're doing I really do.” started Oliver.

 

“What are you talking about?” the older man just gave him a knowing look “Well I thought it would be good if you two just admitted your feelings, because you obviously like eachothers.”

 

“You want to know why this scarf is so special?” Curtis nodded though a little confused at the sudden change of subject and Felicity moved a little closer interested by the story. “It belonged to someone I loved, someone I still love and this person is dead. Now I wish I could just move on but I can't and I don't know if I'll ever can, so stop playing matchmaker.”

 

There was no venom in his voice, he just smiled at Curtis before leaving the lair to go check on Thea.

 

 

Oliver legs and arms were trapped, his head ached and his whole body was attached to a stone pillar by ropes, a lot of ropes. He opened his eyes slowly taking in the scene before him: they were still in the lair, all his team was there from Dinah to Diggle, even Roy was there. All of them were standing, their hands attached to some sort of metal pipe over their heads. Dinah had a collar around her neck, a device of some sort.

 

“Hello Oliver... You're finally awake.”

 

Adrian Chase appeared in front of him. Oliver was confused.

 

“Adrian? What is this?”

 

“Adrian Chase, Simon Morrison, Prometheus.. You know me by many names.” The man smirked, his eyes filled with anger, with insanity.

 

“You bastard!” shot Oliver, trying to move forward but wincing in pain, he was stuck. “What the hell do you want?”

 

“I studied you, Oliver Queen, I know everything. Who you love, who you trust, who you've hurt! Do you know how easy it was to turn Evelyn against you? How easy it will be to turn them all against you? You're not a hero. You're a killer! And I'm going to show that. I'm going to show that everything you touch dies!”

 

Oliver now knew how Adrian had gotten all of them here, Evelyn was probably the one who threw the smoak bomb in here, while Adrian blocked the elevator, leaving no other issue for the team but passing out. The fact that Evelyn betrayed him hurt, but he was mostly angry at her. 

 

Adrian pulled out a gun from his back pocket and pointed it at no one in particular where his team was “If you want to walk out of this, if you want anyone to walk out of this alive... You only have to choose one person to die, only one, and they all live.” he still had that devilish smiled on.

 

“You're crazy I'm not going to choose!” Oliver was too emotional and angry to think straight, this reminded him of Shado's death too much, it couldn't possibly be a coincidence.

 

“Oh come on Oliver, it was never difficult for you to choose, you did it in the past, you can do it now.”

 

“How do you know?” asked Oliver, suddenly feeling so weak.

 

“Oliver what is he talking about?” asked Felicity.

 

“I told you I know everything about you, I know how you chose to let Shado take a bullet in the head so that your precious little Sara could live. Now choose!”

 

All his teammates were confused but Oliver knew what he had to do, what he should've done even back then.

 

“If I choose someone here to die, the rest will all walk out of here alive correct?” Said Oliver, his lips twitching with apprehension. His voice tone wasn't emotional anymore, it was calm.

 

“What the hell are you doing hoss?” asked Rene, visibly pissed off.

 

Adrian just nodded and his smile grew bigger.

 

“All right then I want you to kill me, I'm as much part of the team as they are, kill me and let them go.” said Oliver.

 

Oliver heard the team's screams, but he ignored it, he closed his eyes. He wasn't even sure if Adrian was going to accept his choice, but in this moment he just thought about Slade. Slade who had promised Oliver he'd get out just after the bomb was set, Slade who never got out, Slade who made himself explode in order to kill Kovar and all his men, in order to save Oliver. They were going to be together again, this one thought kept him from breaking down, this one thought kept him calm.

Then he heard the elevator door opening. He couldn't see what was happening but when he opened his eyes he saw Adrian going towards the elevator and heard shooting. It seems like someone ran out of bullets and used something to fight, there was a clinging sound, metal against metal, and then a sound that Oliver knew all too well as a sword sliding through someone's body. His whole team gasped in horror and still did when whoever won came towards them.

A man appeared in front of Oliver, bloody sword in his hand, full on gear, and a mask covering his whole face.

 

“Get away from him you psycho!” yelled Thea as the man drew his sword up until it touched Oliver's body.

 

The team couldn't see it but Oliver wasn't afraid, he knew that mask, black on one part and orange on this other. Whoever was behind it wasn't an ennemy, he was sure of that. The man proved it by sliding his sword down in one quick movement, cutting all of Oliver's ropes.

Just as he set Oliver free, he turned around fast and and threw something that cut all the ropes which held his fellow team mates. They all stayed where they were, too scared or too suspicious to move. Oliver asked the only question that came to his mind.

 

“Where did you got that mask? Were you on his team?” he didn't even think about mentionning that the team he was talking about wasn't Adrian's.

 

“Not exactly.” answered the man, the mask making it almost impossible to understand what he said. He then took off his mask, revealing himself to the rest of his team who still looked confused before slowly turning around.

 

“Hey kid.” said the man with a sad smile.

 

Oliver stopped breathing, he could hear his heart beating faster and his eyes widened in surprise. After the inevitable froze of shock, ee took a step forward and lift up his hand slowly. Oliver put his hand on Slade's face, just to make sure he wasn't seeing a ghost, to make sure he was real. When Slade leaned into the touch, Oliver knew that the impossible just happened, Slade was here, actually, really, right here. His whole world was resumed to the heat of Slade's cheek and the sting of his beard against his hand. Oliver barely heard any of the questions the team was asking.

_'Oliver who's this?'_

_'What the hell is happening?'_

Nothing made sense in Oliver's mind, but then again he didn't know much about mirakuru. Slade could've totally survived an explosion and being buried alive under dozen of rock when the cavern had collapsed. Oliver felt guilt rise in his chest for not going back to check on his lover, for selfishly rushing to catch the boat, for assuming he was dead.

 

“Slade..” he sighed, he just now felt the relief of Slade being alive as the information finally sank in. The blonde slowly moved his hand from Slade's cheek to Slade's neck, grabbing a handful of hair he did the only thing his barely functionning brain was screaming him to do. He leaned forwards and catched Slade's lips in his own. Slade froze for a second but then his lips parted and he kissed back. The australian put his hands on Oliver's hips and pulled him even closer.

 

 

When Felicity saw the man put a sword through Adrian Chase's body she didn't scream, she didn't even react. She didn't know how to react. Then the man came towards them and freed Oliver before freeing the rest of them. She rubbed her hands over her red wrists.

 

“Where did you got that mask? Were you on his team?” asked her bestfriend.

 

The IT girl didn't understood the first question about the mask, but at least understood why Oliver was asking if the man was on Prometheus' team. Or so she thought. Then he took his mask off, revealing a tanned face with black and grey hair. What stood out the most was his eyepatch. When he turned around, Felicity saw Oliver's eyes widening before the one eyed man's body blocked her view. She vaguely saw Oliver rising his hand and putting it on the other man's cheek.

 

“What the hell is happening?” she asked.

 

But Oliver didn't answer, instead he just kissed the other man – Slade apparently. And once again she didn't know how to react. She just froze there during a good 30 seconds. Then someone cleared their troath and Oliver reluctantly broke the kiss.

 

“Wow” let out Curtis, visibly as confused and shocked as she was. They were just attacked by Prometheus who turned out to be the DA, who also just died by the hand of a masked swordsman who Oliver had just kissed, that was a lot to take in.

 

Oliver scratched his hair embarassed and opened his mouth to say something, he closed it right away, not knowing what to say.

 

Roy was the one who asked “Who the hell is this?”

 

Dinah intervened “And who the hell are you?”

 

“Uh Dinah this is Roy, he used to be on the team and everyone this is Slade.”

 

Oliver didn't answer any of their questions, he just walked towards the box where he kept the things from the island and came back with the oh so special grey keffieh. He then handed it over to Slade.

 

“This is yours.”

 

Slade took the keffieh and looked at Oliver fondly. “You kept it.”

 


End file.
